Breast Cancer Industry Month Is Here!

Pink pink pink pink pink!! You must have noticed the vast influx of pink promotional products lining the aisles of supermarkets, adorning the logos of well-known brands, accessorizing the uniforms of football players and overtaking ad space. Breast Cancer Industry month is upon us!

You may know it more familiarly as Breast Cancer Awareness month—a time for businesses to make money and earn public goodwill under the guise of supporting a worthy cause. Rather than donate money to breast cancer research organizations directly, companies create and release pink-ribbon products, promising to donate a portion of the revenue from their sale. But in essence, these companies are using breast cancer to raise awareness of their brand. This commercialization of the disease distracts from actual work to help women living with and at risk of breast cancer. It’s called pinkwashing.

This year’s winner for the most appalling pinkwashing comes from oilfield service company Baker Hughes and one of the most prominent breast cancer foundations out there, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Komen announced last week that it will partner with Baker Hughes for the next year on what the breast cancer activist organization Breast Cancer Action (BCA) refers to as “the most ludicrous piece of pink sh*t they’ve seen all year”: bright pink drill bits. Baker Hughes, a firm involved in hydraulic fracturing (fracking), will “do their bit for the cure” by distributing 1,000 of the painted drill bits worldwide as a reminder of the importance of research, screening and treatment to help find cures for breast cancer.

But Baker Hughes may be doing its bit to help cause breast cancer, as scientific research has been suggesting a link between the chemicals used in oil and gas exploration and the disease. BCA reports that more than 700 chemicals are used in fracking, dozens of which—such as benzene, identified by the EPA as a known carcinogen—increase our risk of cancer. This claim is backed by research showing that people living in areas with heavy fracking are significantly more likely to get breast cancer than those living elsewhere.

As an organization that claims to do so much to help women, Komen’s decision to pinkwash carcinogenic pollution is outrageous. Karuna Jaggar, executive director of BCA, put it best:

With all the toxic chemicals Baker Hughes is putting into the ground, we thought they didn’t care about women’s health. However, this partnership with Komen makes it clear where both organizations stand on this issue. Komen has been notably absent from all discussions about fracking and breast cancer, but with these pink drill bits they are thrusting this issue onto the main stage. Personally, I love a good dose of benzene with my pink ribbon.

Though this stunt certainly makes them frontrunners in shady charitable intentions this fall, Komen is far from the only organization with a controversial breast cancer awareness platform. Every year, the NFL launches its monthlong breast cancer awareness initiative, “A Crucial Catch,” in which players and officials don pink equipment and give fans the opportunity to purchase pink clothing and accessories to support the cause. However, Business Insider reports that only 8 percent of the money spent on pink NFL products actually goes to cancer research, making it clear that “A Crucial Catch” is more an attempt to pander to the public and improve the NFL’s image among women viewers than it is a focus on finding a cure. It’s also worth noting that “A Crucial Catch” actually spreads misinformation that harms women rather than helps them–the campaign’s mantra “early detection saves lives” is proven false). In addition to the NFL and Komen, BCA is campaigning this month against Oriental Trading, Kohl’s and Dansko, three other companies with deceptive charity initiatives. They also list many other businesses that mislead the public about what exactly is being done with funds generated in the name of finding a cure.

With all the false information, empty awareness campaigns and dishonesty that dominate the breast cancer awareness landscape every October, it’s more important than ever to recognize good work that is being done to combat the disease as well as improve the lives of women living with it. BCA, an organization that refuses funding from pharmaceutical companies or any organization that would attempt to influence the information it releases, challenges the notion that more funding is necessary to find a cure; instead, it focuses on properly allocating available funding. Its agenda includes working toward new FDA standards for breast cancer drug approval to find more effective, less toxic treatments; reducing environmental toxins and exposures that potentially cause cancer; reducing the role social inequities play in the availability of treatment; and changing the way breast cancer is discussed in public discourse. BCA also launched the Think Before You Pink campaign, calling out pinkwashers such as Yoplait, KFC and car manufacturers and rallying public support to push them to change their harmful practices.

While Breast Cancer Action primarily works to change the way we discuss, research and treat breast cancer, other praiseworthy organizations such as the Breast Cancer Fund investigate which chemicals are linked to breast cancer and how to limit our exposure to them. They then translate this research into education and advocacy campaigns, teaching the public the best ways to reduce breast-cancer risk. Over the past several years, they have reported on hazardous chemicals in cosmetics, the dangers of BPA in packaged foods and causes of early puberty, a risk factor for breast cancer among young girls.

So this month, before you pick up that pink ribbon bracelet or contribute to a business with questionable intentions, consider supporting an organization making meaningful progress on breast cancer issues. Hopefully, we’ll begin to see less egregious pinkwashing and the next 30 years of Breast Cancer Awareness months will be more effective than the last 30.

Comments

I NEVER give to Komen, an organization I despise. Thirty years and millions of dollars later there’s still no “cure”? The focus should be on prevention! But no, that would interfere with their breast cancer fundraising industry. I’d rather give to the American Cancer Society or to Planned Parenthood, which offers free screenings for low-income women.

Dr Joel Fuhrman uses this week as breastfeeding cancer prevention week. Awareness is real important but I think working to prevent is a part of the discussion that has been missing. As your article shows there is a lot to be done to prevent breastfeeding cancer. The American Medical community works on cures much more than other countries that find prevention is much less expensive and certainly beneficial to society.

I thought it was just me! I want to see Breast Cancer, (all cancers!) eradicated, but I don’t want to think about disease when I reach for a cookie or walk through a store. I bristle when I read about “Walks FOR Breast Cancer”, (“as opposed to ‘For A Cure or to ‘bring awareness’) I’ve often wondered how much of the money spent on “pink-ribbon products” reached the proper channels. The idea of empty corporate banner waving sickens me. The connection between so called corporate supporters and products linked to causing cancer sickens me. Slogans like “Save The TA TAs” and “Get Squished” are demeaning. Making money from a disease is obscene. The fact that the overwhelming majority of people with Breast Cancer are women gives the issue a political bent. — But don’t get me wrong; I’m not interested in drinking my coffee from a blue mug which was cleverly decorated for ‘the fight against testicular cancer’. (Although I’m sure we could definitely come up with some dandy slogans and cute graphics.)

In honor of my late Mom, grandmother, my own health concerns, and many women who struggle with this terrible disease, I would like to ask my friends and family to think about whether we are contributing to breast health education or contributing funds to a “for the cure” organization this October. Are education and funding two of the same thing? Is this a silly or stupid question?
In my opinion, all too often, consumers do not ask themselves: Is this a pink ribbon product of a company that contributes minimal funds to breast health education or breast cancer prevention? Do these companies use harmful chemicals in their products, which have been found to contribute to breast cancer? Do I know how much of a company’s pink ribbon profit goes to breast cancer research, and which kind of breast cancer research? Do I know someone who is not actually aware of breast cancer, and is it worth buying a pink product in support of making them “aware?” Are there better ways I can become an informed consumer and health educator? Who is responsible for changing this cancer culture? Am I completely removed from this health issue, or can I be a catalyst responsible for making a little change?
My question: What if we shifted our energies and work toward PREVENTION, not toward a supposed “cure” (a cure which has remained nearly the same for many years)? How can we better contribute to educating women and girls about overall health, breast health, and cancers? Are we doing the best we can?
This cause hits close to home for me, as I lost my Mom to breast cancer when she received neglectful treatment at a top medical hospital in Boston. Obviously I wished that she received better care, more support, and had better access to informed breast cancer health risk information and medical care. However, this was not the case, and each October, I am acutely aware of how little I learn about breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and how much I see the pink ribbon on items empty of meaning or importance to breast cancer. So I ask, what can we do differently this year, and how can we become better supports of all women (and some men) who are sick or at risk?

Rachel’s article addresses a question that’s been on my mind as I’ve watched the proliferation of pinkness the last couple years. Of course, every company wants to jump on a successful cause to leverage the good PR, but I’ve been wondering where all the money goes. Getting a bit ridiculous. More of our tax money that goes to the National Institutes of Health should be allocated to competent researchers of breast cancer.

I am so grateful for this article! I am sick, sick, sick of this annual Pink Parade, when I know that it really as little to do with “awareness”, “research”, “search for a cure”, etc. I hope this gets read by thousands!!

I don’t know how many have given thought to all the “prizes” they give out for just surving! A few yrs. ago I attended a walk for breast cancer, as a survivor. Imagine my surprise to have someone hang a large gold-colored medallion on a ribbon around my neck. Did I need to advertise I’m a survivor? Was I getting a “prize” for surviving? This is a travesty & a waste of money , not going toward a “cure”. You are right it’s big business. I gave the trophy to another survivor, mentally challenged. She was thrilled, so it made someone happy.

I agree with you about corp’s.. and people !!! My wife is a, two time-13 yr, ovarian cancer survivor.. TEAL, and we agree, there should be , FIND A C A N C E R CURE month!! The populace should be made aware of ALL cancers!!! More research should be done on all cancers!! More research needs to be done to see where the MONEY goes!!